Unbelievable today

Wirral_paul

Absolutely as per Cleat above - dont feel sorry for the moron!! Its amazing how everyone is "sorry" when they're going to court and in the crap up to their eyeballs!! If you hadnt have had a camera in the group and he hadnt got caught - do you think he'd have been "sorry" then? I doubt he'd have been sorry even if he'd have caused you to crash - just so long as it wasnt his own neck on the line!!

A responsible profession being a Social Worker - to have such a huge duty of care as they do. Clearly not fit in his instance if he's happy to endanger a cyclist - so if he lost his job then thats tough!! I'd feel sorry for his family however - but only him to blame.

verylonglegs

You shouldn't beat yourself up, how he earns his living is no concern of yours. Plus he was a social worker who was prepared to lie through his teeth in a court of law so a change of career sounds appropriate. It's also amazing the number of times folk who suddenly find their driving licenses under threat for offences they've committed either have a job that totally depends on it or have a sick relative that needs regular care and visits by car...very convienent that one.

arthur_scrimshaw

there's also no evidence he would lose his job, if he and his defence could concoct a story about a pothole causing the incident, I'm sure it wouldn't be beneath them to come up with that sob story as well?
Even if it was true, is that the kind of social worker you want dealing with vulnerable members of society?

k-dog

^ he will lose his job, at least for the moment, as a Social Worker is a registered profession so he will have to report this case to his professional body - and they look dimly on any charges such as assault - and he will be prevented from working with vulnerable people (basically the whole job). He can't apply for a new position where they will have to go through the Vetting and Barring process anyway even if he's not struck off - which is unlikely.

He'll be removed from the register but after a length of time he can apply for readmission showing what he's done to improve himself. They often look more dimly on the dishonesty part though - the lying in court - as that puts the whole profession into disrepute and the aim of these bodies is to protect the public by ensuring that you can trust their professionals. Doesn't mean he won't be back at work in a few years - happens all the time.

I wouldn't feel bad though - he could have seriously injured you and it will really be a wake up call for him - and hopefully a few others too.

daviesee

essjaydee.

Ask yourself this.

Is he sorry for his actions, the possible consequences for you, or the actual consequences for him?

The answer to that will give you the measure of the man.

peat

daviesee wrote:

essjaydee.

Ask yourself this.

Is he sorry for his actions, the possible consequences for you, or the actual consequences for him?

The answer to that will give you the measure of the man.

^This.

I am in a similar(ish - not at all) predicament. I reported some kids who were vandalizing our local sports centre. I just wanted to 's*** them up' a bit to teach them a lesson. As they were caught red-handed, they are having the book thrown at them. They will have it on their record and their parents are footing the bill for the damage.

I feel bad for the parents because it's going to cost them a fair bit. But, hopefully they will discipline the kids suitably so that they do actually learn that s**ting on your own doorstep by throwing bricks through the windows of municipal buildings is not on.

They pleaded 'boredom' - it was the first day of the summer hols ffs!

Mr_Cellophane

Peat wrote:

I am in a similar(ish - not at all) predicament. I reported some kids who were vandalizing our local sports centre. I just wanted to 's*** them up' a bit to teach them a lesson. As they were caught red-handed, they are having the book thrown at them. They will have it on their record and their parents are footing the bill for the damage.

I feel bad for the parents because it's going to cost them a fair bit. But, hopefully they will discipline the kids suitably so that they do actually learn that s**ting on your own doorstep by throwing bricks through the windows of municipal buildings is not on.

They pleaded 'boredom' - it was the first day of the summer hols ffs!

They were bored so smashed up the place that was there to give them something to do :roll:

Are you going to put the video back up now ?

Johnpsanderson

Nice to hear justice around this sort of thing being served. It seems that it so rarely happens - and if it does we rarely hear about it. Can't say that it sounds like a good outcome for the offender, but I think that's should always be the reality of committing crimes. Well done to the OP for sticking with it - must be a rough experience to go through court as a victim.

Cleat Eastwood

Johnpsanderson wrote:

Nice to hear justice around this sort of thing being served. It seems that it so rarely happens - and if it does we rarely hear about it.

This is true - i've a friend who deals with debt issues and had to go to court to contest an eviction order from a local council on a vulnerable client - the judge said its not the purpose of the court to make someone homeless - and threw the case out. Heartwarming when it happens - but all too rarely reported.

t.m.h.n.e.t

Good result but the wrong one? A man who is clearly a danger on the roads keeps his driving license at the expense of his job, doesn't make sense to me.

Scrumple

And the link to the video....?

cougie

I saw the video when the link was up.

Very pleased with the outcome. Lets face it 99 times out of 100 he'd have got away with it - it was just his bad luck that a camera was out on that ride. He'll not be a d*ck again and lets hope its reported in the press and might make people think before they lash out at soft targets.

essjaydee

Just had an update on his sentence:
6 months conditional discharge and £400 costs

DF33

Could do with posting this thread up in some of the motorcycling forums to get the message accross

slowsider

What, like you think that it happens a lot ?

DF33

Actually yes!
occasionally bikers
commonly car pasengers reaching out of the passenger window.
In this case a biker (less common maybe) so post up in biker forums.
Passenger car windows post up in car forums.
Too simple I know but why not?

If it's ok with you of course!

Manc33

Anything like this happens and I either yell my head off at them or stick 2 fingers up, or clap loud enough for them to hear me clapping... I can't help myself when prickery starts happening. I am going to get absolutely battered one day!

This is why I am going to start lifting weights once I get my CV system good. Which was my plan all along.

1. Smoke for 20 years.
2. Get a bike, ride off the effects of 20 years smoking (2 years cycling?)
3. Have a great CV system, lift weights for 6 months, no cardio (hardly)
4. Get on the bike again and burn off the fat.
5. Fanny magnet.

slowsider

DF33 wrote:

Actually yes!
occasionally bikers
commonly car pasengers reaching out of the passenger window.
In this case a biker (less common maybe) so post up in biker forums.
Passenger car windows post up in car forums.
Too simple I know but why not?

If it's ok with you of course!

People in glass houses...
Have you seen the posts about cyclists on car forums ? :twisted:

And not aimed at the OP, but have you noticed how unlucky are those guys that habitually post up footage on youtube of other road-users carving them up? You don't think they might go looking for it, like a self fulfilling prophecy?

My pet hate was milk tanker drivers; thought about posting on a milk-tanker-drivers' forum, cos obviously they are all the same, but one was nice to me the other day, so I've revised my opinion. If that's okay with you. :roll:

DF33

Out of interest, why am I in a glass house?

slowsider

Not you in particular, but cyclists in general have a rep for selectively obeying traffic law - see threads here about red-light jumpers etc.

As an occasional motorcyclist, p'raps I responded a bit sharply to the implication that they/we all need a lesson in road manners .

dw300

So, why was this only assault and not attempted murder? Would you have to prove it was premeditated or something? Was it easier to get an assault conviction.

I'm glad you did what you did for the cycling community OP. Thanks.

DF33

I'll murder you in a minute...

whitebait01

Any chance of the video going back up? Would be interested to see what happened!

dw300

whitebait01 wrote:

Any chance of the video going back up? Would be interested to see what happened!

+1

slowsider

dw300 wrote:

So, why was this only assault and not attempted murder? Would you have to prove it was premeditated or something? Was it easier to get an assault conviction.

Where is the attempt to kill* ?? Is it not more like 'intentionally or recklessly causing another to apprehend the immediate infliction of unlawful force'?**

What he did was stupid but I don't see an attempt to kill. As someone else said ^^ it's much more of a traffic offence than anything else. Charging him with a traffic offence would have had a similar sobering effect without affecting his livelihood.



*http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/h_to_k/homicide_murder_and_manslaughter/
**http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/l_to_o/offences_against_the_person/#a04

jim453

slowsider wrote:

dw300 wrote:

So, why was this only assault and not attempted murder? Would you have to prove it was premeditated or something? Was it easier to get an assault conviction.

Where is the attempt to kill* ?? Is it not more like 'intentionally or recklessly causing another to apprehend the immediate infliction of unlawful force'?**

What he did was stupid but I don't see an attempt to kill. As someone else said ^^ it's much more of a traffic offence than anything else. Charging him with a traffic offence would have had a similar sobering effect without affecting his livelihood.



*http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/h_to_k/homicide_murder_and_manslaughter/
**http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/l_to_o/offences_against_the_person/#a04

No it wouldn't. The sobering effect is because of the repercussions for his employment. He wasn't at all bothered when he was playing the big man and showing off to his mates. Moron.

At least you'll be the last cyclist who's life he endangers.

SilvioD

I need to see the evidence...Video Please!

slowsider

jim453 wrote:

No it wouldn't. The sobering effect is because of the repercussions for his employment. He wasn't at all bothered when he was playing the big man and showing off to his mates. Moron.

At least you'll be the last cyclist who's life he endangers.

Has he been put off the road then ? That might have been a possibility with a conviction for a traffic offence, but I've never heard of it being a penalty for an assault charge.

essjaydee

Link below to video;
http://youtu.be/XFmoPtg69jM

jrduquemin

essjaydee wrote:

Whilst waiting to give evidence, got informed that they wanted to plead guilty to driving without due care & attention. Reason being that the motorcyclist is a social worker and if found guilty of assault, would lose his job. I was happy to go with a guilty plea on driving offence, as figured he would have learnt his lesson from it. Senior magistrate wasn't happy with this though, so trial went ahead on charge of assault.

He claimed there was a pot hole that he hit which caused his right foot to come off the peg, putting weight on the left peg and caused the bike to move into me. The pot hole also caused his left hand to come off the bars which brushed against me. It was cringe worthy and total rubbish, but don't blame him for trying to save his job. Magistrate pretty much said he was spouting rubbish and making it up. I found out after the verdict, when they were summarising, that he had stated he was sorry and shown remorse in his statement, but police never told me that. I would have dropped the charge, had I known that.

I actually feel sorry for the guy. He has no previous history, other than a minor driving offence over 10 years ago. I didn't want him to lose his job, hence was happy to go with a guilty plea to the driving offence. By the time it went to court, it was out of my hands though

I came away felling pretty sh*t about the whole thing

Why should you feel bad about it? He broke the law and was found wanting...
Maybe he can take up cycling and see how he likes being harassed by assholes on the road?